Braga unveils €875,000 renaturalisation of River Este

Braga's city council has inaugurated a €875,656 renaturalisation project along a 464-metre stretch of the River Este, between Lagoa and Avenida Frei Bartolomeu dos Mártires. Degraded concrete banks were replaced with granite blocks, geotextiles, timber and native vegetation, alongside new footpaths, viewing areas and information panels. The works, mostly funded by the Portuguese Environment Agency, were designed to withstand a 100-year flood event and aim to reduce erosion, restore biodiversity and improve the city's resilience to heavy rainfall. The project stems from a 2024 agreement between the agency and Braga municipality, which plans ongoing ecological monitoring of the river corridor.

This appeared in the Pulse of 18 September 2026 — Read that edition →